Is it permissible for a person in ihram to cover his head due to severe cold?
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The questioner : May Allah love you. If the cold becomes severe for a person in ihram for 'Umrah and he covers his head while in ihram, does he owe anything?
The Shaykh : Yes, it is not permissible for him to cover his head while in ihram due to severe cold, unless he fears harm or injury. In that case, he covers his head. And if he covers his head, he must, according to the scholars, feed six poor people, giving each poor person half a sa' (a dry measure of about 3 kg).
The questioner : But what is your opinion if he wraps himself in a blanket without covering his head? Is that permissible? The person in ihram was affected by the cold, brought a blanket, and wrapped himself in it without covering his head. Is that permissible?
The Shaykh : It is permissible, my brothers. There is no problem. It is permissible. He wraps himself in his shirt, meaning he does not wear it as usual, but wraps himself in it as if it were a cloak. That is permissible and there is no blame on him. Some people used to think that a person in ihram does not wear anything with stitching, and this is a mistake. The person in ihram does not wear the shirt, the trousers, the cloak, the turban, or the leather socks, as the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said.
As for what has stitching, it is permissible if it is not one of these five things or something of their meaning. So, if his cloak is patched, does that harm him in any way? No. Likewise, if his lower garment is patched, it does not harm him. And it is even more permissible for him to wear a belt with stitching; there is no harm in that. It is permissible for him to wear sandals with stitching; there is no harm in that. The prohibition for the person in ihram is not the stitching itself, but the customary clothing, which the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) specified, and they are five things: the shirt, the trousers, the cloak, the turban, and the leather socks, and whatever is of their meaning. Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is not permissible for him to cover his head while in ihram due to severe cold, unless he fears harm or injury. In that case, he covers his head. And if he covers his head, he must, according to the scholars, feed six poor people, giving each poor person half a sa' (a dry measure of about 3 kg).
The questioner : But what is your opinion if he wraps himself in a blanket without covering his head? Is that permissible? The person in ihram was affected by the cold, brought a blanket, and wrapped himself in it without covering his head. Is that permissible?
The Shaykh : It is permissible, my brothers. There is no problem. It is permissible. He wraps himself in his shirt, meaning he does not wear it as usual, but wraps himself in it as if it were a cloak. That is permissible and there is no blame on him. Some people used to think that a person in ihram does not wear anything with stitching, and this is a mistake. The person in ihram does not wear the shirt, the trousers, the cloak, the turban, or the leather socks, as the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said.
As for what has stitching, it is permissible if it is not one of these five things or something of their meaning. So, if his cloak is patched, does that harm him in any way? No. Likewise, if his lower garment is patched, it does not harm him. And it is even more permissible for him to wear a belt with stitching; there is no harm in that. It is permissible for him to wear sandals with stitching; there is no harm in that. The prohibition for the person in ihram is not the stitching itself, but the customary clothing, which the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) specified, and they are five things: the shirt, the trousers, the cloak, the turban, and the leather socks, and whatever is of their meaning. Yes.
Source
قناة «فضيلة الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين»، لقاء[47 من 126] هل يجوز للمحرم أن يغطي رأسه لشدة البرد؟!! الشيخ ابن عثيمين - مشروع كبار العلماء — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.